The whole framework of jazz is taking a relatively basic melody, and then using it as a scaffold from which to swing wildly, flailing your musical limbs in all conceivable directions until everyone in the audience either loses theirs minds or start rioting. As such, it stands to reason that jazz covers of popular tracks from elsewhere in musicdom tend to be pretty wonderful. That’s what I’ve compiled for you this week, a smooth (but occasionally uptempo) clutch of some of the best covers the genre has to offer, classic and contemporary.
Honestly, I’d just stick it on and avoid looking at the track list, just to be pleasantly surprised when you figure out what things are, but just in case you’re interested, I’ve put a full list of the covers and who they’re covering below the playlist. View at your own risk.
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Still here? Oh fine, be like that.
The Bad Plus – Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Tears for Fears
Robert Glasper – Reckoner – Radiohead
Vijay Iyer Trio – Mmmhmm – Flying Lotus
Christian Scott – The Eraser – Thom Yorke
Dr. Lonnie Smith – Loser – Beck
The Jazz Crusaders – Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles
Earl Klugh – I Heard it Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
Estradasphere – Super Buck II – Koji Kondo (‘Overworld’ –Â Super Mario Bros. 2)
Brad Mehldau – Hey Joe – Jimmi Hendrix
George Benson – California Dreamin’ – The Mammas and Pappas
Louis Durra – Mad World – Gary Jules (covering Tears for Fears)
Pat Metheny – Rainy Days and Mondays – The Carpenters
Alex Skolnick Trio – War Pigs – Black Sabbath
John Coltrane – My Favourite Things – Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein (From The Sound of Music)
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